Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 September 2012
Syntheses of novel titanate-based waste forms, potentially suitable forimmobilizing Pu(III) and Am(III), have been performed. The dititanatecompounds An2Ti2O7 (An=Pu or Am) were foundto have a monoclinic structure. A series of pyrochlore-type solid solutionsbetween An2Ti2O7 and the cubic pyrochlore Ln2Ti2O7 (Ln=Gd, Er, or Lu) has beenestablished, and limits of solid solubility for An2Ti2O7 were determined. These limitswere found to increase as the ionic radius of the lanthanide in the hostdecreased. Strontium-containing titanate compounds SrAn2Ti4O12 were also prepared and werecharacterized as exhibiting a perovskite-type structure. Such compoundscould serve as waste hosts for the immobilization of not only the actinidebut also 90 Sr. A 2 month leaching study of Er1.78Pu0.22Ti2O7 and SrPu2Ti4O12 by WIPP “A” brine wasperformed. Very low amounts (< 1 ppm) of Pu(III) were leached. Althoughthe ionic radius of Np(III) is similar to that of Pu(III) and Am(III),analogous Np compounds could not be prepared in any of the titanate systemsinvestigated.